Carrot Cake Day
Published: 24.02.2025
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Today would have actually been Cherry Cake Day, but sometimes you have to settle for alternatives. Although 'settling' is putting it mildly - honestly, a cherry cake would not have improved this day. Even if I have to get up at 6 AM. Even if we sit on the bus for 9 hours. Even if the coffee in the rest stop café is really bad. Even if it is cloudy, rainy, and foggy in Milford Sound itself. Even if I don't see a single cherry all day long.
Instead, I get a beautiful ride in sunshine, cycle across the vastness of New Zealand, and admire the Mirror Lakes. At some point, the road winds down between tall mountains, and we reach Milford Sound - by the way, the name is incorrect. It is actually a fjord. But no matter what you call this place, it is breathtaking. The bad weather and fog create a very mystical atmosphere, and I feel like I'm in a fantasy novel. Luckily, on the ship, we can also go inside, so I can warm my hands from time to time. We spend about two hours on the boat, during which we have lunch, reenact Titanic, take photos, admire waterfalls, see seals, and brave the waves. When we return, it is raining so much that we immediately hop on the bus and start the ride back. This is accompanied by various power naps, two rainbows, a lot of sheep herds, and another stop at the café with the bad coffee... as I find out, they have excellent carrot cake, which one of our fellow travelers buys for the group, and when we arrive at the hostel, we celebrate the three birthdays in a row (18th, 19th & 20th!) again. That is really nice. And since the day is not long enough yet, I go out for cocktails afterwards and marvel at myself how well I can talk about philosophy and quantum physics in English. So, you don't need a cherry cake for a perfect Cherry Cake Day. You need loving people, exciting conversations, a willingness to be amazed, and - as always - to question oneself. On my last Cherry Cake Day, so much had already changed compared to all the ones before. When I think back to the last one this year, I can sometimes hardly believe what has happened. And who knows what will happen before the next one. And what cake there will be then. I don't know. For now, I am simply right here and eating carrot cake. Two pieces. At least.
Instead, I get a beautiful ride in sunshine, cycle across the vastness of New Zealand, and admire the Mirror Lakes. At some point, the road winds down between tall mountains, and we reach Milford Sound - by the way, the name is incorrect. It is actually a fjord. But no matter what you call this place, it is breathtaking. The bad weather and fog create a very mystical atmosphere, and I feel like I'm in a fantasy novel. Luckily, on the ship, we can also go inside, so I can warm my hands from time to time. We spend about two hours on the boat, during which we have lunch, reenact Titanic, take photos, admire waterfalls, see seals, and brave the waves. When we return, it is raining so much that we immediately hop on the bus and start the ride back. This is accompanied by various power naps, two rainbows, a lot of sheep herds, and another stop at the café with the bad coffee... as I find out, they have excellent carrot cake, which one of our fellow travelers buys for the group, and when we arrive at the hostel, we celebrate the three birthdays in a row (18th, 19th & 20th!) again. That is really nice. And since the day is not long enough yet, I go out for cocktails afterwards and marvel at myself how well I can talk about philosophy and quantum physics in English. So, you don't need a cherry cake for a perfect Cherry Cake Day. You need loving people, exciting conversations, a willingness to be amazed, and - as always - to question oneself. On my last Cherry Cake Day, so much had already changed compared to all the ones before. When I think back to the last one this year, I can sometimes hardly believe what has happened. And who knows what will happen before the next one. And what cake there will be then. I don't know. For now, I am simply right here and eating carrot cake. Two pieces. At least.
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